The YRHS Sr. Raider boys鈥� volleyball team has shown steady improvement so far this season.
The team, coached by former Raider player Brendon Weir, recently went 2-3 at a tournament in Weyburn with wins over Estevan and Weyburn and losses to Melville, Oxbow and Melville again in the playoff round.
Results aside however, coach Weir feels that the team has continually gotten better. 鈥淭here has been some definite improvement in our team鈥檚 ability,鈥� offered Weir. 鈥淗aving two weeks of practice between tournaments allowed the team to cover many different aspects on techniques we would not have seen if we had only a week of practice.
鈥淪o far we have shown many signs of improvement in different aspects of our game, but there are plenty of skills to be worked on as we continue on in the season.鈥�
Weir went on to mention that due to things not within his control, he has had to use two completely different lineups in the two tournaments the Raiders have attended this season so far. 鈥淲e had a different lineup from our first tournament, and had players step up when asked to,鈥� suggested Weir, continuing, 鈥淒ue to an injury to one of our starting power hitters Brodie Ottenbreit, Mitchell Karapita stepped up in his absence, and filled in quite respectably.
鈥淒erek Campbell, the team鈥檚 libero, missed our first tournament due to a schedule conflict, returned and played a major role in our defensive game all weekend.鈥�
Overall Weir believes that with the way the team I improving, it鈥檚 only a matter of time before the Raiders start competing in close games; some of which they鈥檒l win. 鈥淎s we continue on in the season, I expect a lot more of the close games that we lost we have been in so far this season to be close wins for us in the coming tournaments.
鈥淲e still have some improvements to make to be competitive with the top volleyball programs in the province, but our goal is to be competitive with these teams by season end.鈥�
The next chance to improve themselves with tournament play will be this coming weekend, when the Sr. Raiders take part in an eight team tournament co-hosted by Sturgis and Preeceville.
